


Symbiosis

by Silveryfeather



Category: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
Genre: Alternate Universe, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Near Death Experiences, No War AU, Peace then war
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 05:02:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18276320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silveryfeather/pseuds/Silveryfeather
Summary: What if the yeerks had decided to become friends with the andalites instead?





	Symbiosis

The warm, dry air rasped at my throat as I trotted out from the tent. I look up to the sky with a heavy sigh, watching as the clouds that poured the nightly rain over the yeerk planet disperse. Around me the dreary, dull yeerk landscape was still glistening with the acidic rain that just fell.  
  
<Aldrea do not go too far from the scoop.> My mother lightly warned me as she stepped by me. I shuffle away to give her room to move past me. She bounced slightly with her light gate as she continues her trot towards the tents that held what little consumable grass we had. There was nothing on this planet that we could eat. It was either poisonous or simply too dry to even attempt to consume.  
  
<Good morning Aldrea!> I nearly jump as my father comes up behind me. He brushes his tail along my side as he walks by, eye-smiling down at me. <Come and eat.>  
  
I pause considering his offer but then slowly shake my stalks. My father tipped his head at me quizzically before twitching his tail lightly. <Very well, eat later. Just don’t go too far again, Warrior Alloran won’t be there to bring you back if you get lost.>  
  
I twitch nervously before slowly backing into the scoop again. Now that I reminded of the horrors of yesterday, I slowly back inside. The air was considerably more breathable inside the scoop and didn’t hurt my throat. The environmental humidifier was doing it’s job.  

Just as I decide to return to my bed I hear someone come in. My father steps in, curiously examining me before motioning towards the outside of the tent. <I won’t be having you just stay in the scoop all day. Come, you can join me after I’m done eating.>  
  
I scuff a back hoof, frowning. I wasn’t at all upset joining my father where ever he goes. I had a much closer relationship with him than my mother really. But today I just wasn’t feeling up to joining him. I felt uneasy about leaving again.  
  
<Don’t give me that, go now.> I flinched at my father’s scolding. I wasn’t really in the mood to interact with yeerks again but knowing my father he would want me to. I flick my ears before slowly walking after him, head down and tail dragging along.  
  
While my mother and father ate I stood off to one side, watching them trot back and forth. Though mother did keep a stalk on me as if she was worried about me disappearing. I wasn’t planning on running off again after yesterday.  
  
<Good to see you’re keeping close to your parents Aldrea.> I turn a stalk on Warrior Alloran as he casually walks past me, hardly sparing a glance my way. I follow his slow walk with an eye before scuffing my back hoof.  
  
He didn’t need to be rude about it.  
  
<Aldrea come, I’m sure you’ll learn quite a bit about our new friends today.> My father was approaching me, head held high. At least if there was one thing I could say about my father, he certainly did have grace. <Come.>  
  
He gathers me up with his tail before carefully leading me out. I hear my mother call after us to come home before night but said nothing else. I pin my ears back as we return back to the rasping, harsh air of the outside. My father seemed to perk up a bit though.  
  
<I believe we should visit one of the younger yeerks in the nearby pools. I hear there was quite a few born today.> I turn a curious stalk towards my father. How would he know that? Had he been keeping track of the yeerk population or did one of the yeerks with a gedd hint at it.  
  
We approached one of the few bubbling pools that were scattered around in this specific area. Apparently this was considered a sort of city by quite a few yeerks. But all of these pools were naturally occurring so this was a rare occurrence apparently.  
  
A yeerk in a gedd’s body looked up from their digging, eyes narrowing. For just a moment I felt like he was vaguely threatening us but I quickly reminded myself that they weren’t andalites, eye narrowing was probably their way of focusing their eyes.  
  
“Seerrrow.” They greeted, dusting off their hands. It sounded like they were getting better at speech but it seemed they had a hard time with the rougher ‘r’ sounds.  
  
<Ah, Keliss 205 if I remember correctly. How are you today?> My father greeted the yeerk politely, dipping his stalks. The yeerk awkwardly gets to it’s uneven feet before motioning towards his work.  
  
“Good.” He replied simply. I was getting the feeling that his vocabulary wasn’t quite as expanded as the yeerks on the council. But considering those on the yeerk council were interacting with us often, of course they would.

<I hear that the new cycle has started. How many new grubs are there?> My father steps up to the pool. Keliss 205 stiffens for a moment before relaxing. My father had noticed this reaction and politely steps back again.  
  
“Five trios have produced ten thousand.” I knew that was a polite estimate on his part but I knew very well that they couldn’t even keep track of their own numbers themselves. But my father was satisfied by his answer.  
  
<Perhaps we can have a few to join our new program?> My father motioned towards the pool, grinning almost.  
  
My father had a new school plan that he planned on trying with the newer generations of yeerks. So far it has been a minor success. Yeerks were almost geniuses in a sense but the ones that were first brought in showed little interest in the subject matters they were learning. Either they saw no point in furthering their education beyond simple language or they were absorbing the new information they were getting at a shocking speed.  
  
My mother believes this is because of the yeerk’s short window where they go from grub to fully grown. It takes a yeerk a mere few months to fully mature. But their lifespan wasn’t known. The oldest yeerks found reached 17 andalian years, which was older than my father. So they must have longer adulthoods.  
  
“Yes there are already a few hundred who want to join.” The yeerk replied, returning to his work.  
  
<Okay, when will they be gathered then?> Father leaned forward a bit.  
  
The yeerk doesn’t reply for a moment but when he did he sounded slightly annoyed. “Soon.”  
  
Father flinches but says nothing at the yeerk’s slightly harsh tone. Me on the other hand glared at him which then put his attention on me. My haunch fur raises under his gaze but I continue to stare. It was the yeerk who looked away first.  
  
<Aldrea don’t do that, it’s rude.> Father scolded gently, already gathering me up to take me off somewhere. I would’ve replied but my speech centers were not quite developed enough for that. So I simply replied with a small wave of annoyance.  
  
<Aldrea we are here to make friends, not scare them.> His tail tightens around my waist for a moment before slipping off, ears twitching. I once again send out a wave of annoyance which causes him to sigh.  
  
<I wonder if you get it from your mother.> Father shakes his stalks slowly as he walks me towards a parked ship. The pair of warriors standing guard nod respectfully to Father as he passes by but didn’t pay me any attention. Considering I was a child, I didn’t feel too upset.

“ _Prince Seerow, I see you have brought your daughter with you.”_ I fluff up again at the dry, robotic voice that greeted us when we entered the part of the ship known as the ‘classroom’.  
  
Sitting in a clear box on a steel table was a yeerk who was facing hundreds of other clear boxes, though all of them were empty. Class wasn’t in session so it was only the teacher in this room at the moment.  
  
The classroom was my father’s current main project. He often brought me here when classes were being held and made me sit through many lessons. Quite a few were on subjects I already knew but I knew that if I tried to skip out on a few Mother would be very cross. I try not to make Mother cross for good reasons.

<Ah Arin 992, it is good to see you.> Father shooed me into the room as he glanced around with both of his stalks. He seemed slightly confused for a moment but then simply stepped around me as the door closed. <No classes for today?>  
  
“ _No, rather I had released my students already.”_ Arin replied almost happily. I would have guessed that they were simply just as glad as I was to be done with classes. Or at least in my case I missed them.  
  
<That is rather too bad, I was considering allowing Aldrea to join you today.> For a moment Father was ‘upset’ but then he straightened up again, drawing himself to full height. <Perhaps tomorrow then.>  
  
Arin stayed silent for a moment as the machine they currently resided in beeped a few times. “ _Yes, yes perhaps she shall. After all I am sure quite a few students enjoy having her here.”_

I could feel waves of delight wash off my father before he looked down at me, eyes squinting in a smile. I manage to smile back but I really couldn’t bring myself to share the same enthusiasm. After all, classes were so utterly boring.  
  
<Very well, tomorrow.> My father led me out again, tail lifted in pride as he led me back out into the horrid outside again.

* * *

 

<Now, now Aldrea stay close.> Father gently curled his tail over mine while he led me away to the class rooms again. <There are going to be new young yeerks joining class today so please be on your best behavior.>  
  
I twitched an ear in irritation while squarely holding my tail to the ground trying to hold my thoughts to myself.  I was none too thrilled to be taken into class again. I was even less thrilled to see that even more seats were taken up by yeerks. But at least Father had the sense to take us to the back instead.  
  
I noticed faintly that a yeerk had taken to staring at us but once I had focused all four of my eyes on them, they turned away. I wrinkled my nose but knew they were probably curious of us. This was probably the first time they’ve seen an andalite up this close. Warriors don’t often make trips up the hill to visit the yeerks while they are being schooled.  
  
“ _Alright then, please all turn your attention to me.”_ Arin spoke up drawing my attention towards the tank nearby upfront. “ _We have many, many new students with us and thus introductions are in order. Starting from the back please!”_

The first that spoke was the one that had been staring at us much to my displeasure.

“ _My name is Esplin 9466 and I am the Greater twin.”_  
  
I could practically hear the self pride oozing from them as they introduced themselves. Only a few days old and already speaking with near perfection. My father marveled at the speed this group had learned but I had a feeling there was simply more to it. The yeerks seemed to run on a hive mind level than individualistic level.  
  
At least that’s what I liked to believe.  
  
My haunch fur pricked as the yeerk turned towards me, their front facing me for moments. Much to my chagrin it would seem that they were examining both me and my father, which was upsetting. Why were they looking at us?

“ _I do hope that me and our andalite friends do become rather close.”_

With that the light for the speech center goes off and he detached. I could feel myself relax almost as soon as he does. Beside me Father looked at the yeerk curiously, eyes twinkling with the same look he had when he had first discovered the yeerks. For a moment I thought he was actually going to speak to the young yeerk but then he turned his attention to the next yeerk as they spoke.  
  
“ _I am Esplin 9466 Lesser-”_

I knew Esplin 9466 Greater was staring at us again. I could feel their eyeless stare boring into my side as I tried to ignore them. A sneaking look with my left stalk gave me enough time to tell that they, in fact, were. Too bad my father seemed to be in a ribbing mood.  
  
<Find them interesting little one?> Father said as he gently brushed my side with his tail. I squirmed away from him as I huffed once I noticed he had ruffled my fur.  
  
<I find them interesting as well. Perhaps after class I shall speak with them.> Father’s eyes shone as he glanced towards Esplin 9466 Greater again. Thankfully they had just enough sense not to be staring.  
  
I simply twitched my right ear reply, none too thrilled about it. But Father went silent after that and class mercifully moved on to the lesson. Another mercy came to me as Mother came and took me to feed before Father could get me to spend time with the yeerk again.

 

* * *

 

I was on my own again today. No classes and no Father or Mother to keep me from exploring the pools today. Luckily it had just rained not too long ago so the air wasn’t quite as dry as it would have been early on. So I found myself enjoying the weather for once as I hopped across from pool to pool, ears pricked in delightful excitement.  
  
One of my hooves slipped but I managed to catch my balance just in time to right myself on the next rock. But that little slip up did not stop me from continuing my joy run. In one stalk I could see several warriors turning a stalk on me for a moment as I passed by them. They looked a bit upset but I knew they wouldn’t stop me unless they thought I truly was in danger.  
  
<Be careful.>

I nearly slip as Alloran’s voice growls into my head. He glared at me as he walked by, his mate who was heavily pregnant by his side. The young female curled her eyes into a smile at me as she passed by.  
  
<Be gentle Alloran, she is young.> His mate told him gently, running her tail down his. The large male ducked his head then looked away. I could tell he was embarrassed which made me smile.  
  
My run continued far into the yeerk pool groups until I reached land that was quite precarious. But I was young and foolish, I did not think to slow down as I crossed some walkways over the water.  
  
My hoof suddenly shoots off the edge of the metal and I go falling into the water.  
  
<Damn!>  
  
I heard a male’s voice but I couldn’t see one as murky grey water washed over my form. Pain shot through my nostrils and lungs as they quickly start filling up with sticky water. I kicked a few times to try to move to the surface but there was no way for me to actually figure out how to actually swim. I was never taught to and never needed to… at least until now.  
  
<Prince Serrow’s daughter slipped in!>  
  
Another voice but still I could see nothing but I could feel something. Something pressing into cheek, slowly moving up to my ear. Vaguely my quickly degrading mind was registering that a yeerk had found me. But as it traveled up to my ear I thought it was leaving.  
  
But that was hardly the case it would seem.  
  
<Aldrea!> Father’s voice cried as I heard thundering hoof steps above just as something starts pushing into my ear. There was a dull moment of pain but then everything goes numb.  
  
My body suddenly locks up making me think that I was almost dead. But almost by some miracle, my limbs starting moving on their own while pushing my body up to the surface above.  
  
<Aldrea! By the stars! Aldrea!> My father’s panic grew as I heard splashing. He must’ve jumped in too.  
  
My body continued to move upwards of it’s own accord while my vision grew darker. I hit something soft… almost… it’s fur.

My father’s voice cries in delight as I was pushed upwards to the surface just as my vision darkens and I black out. But when I awoke again, I was coughing up sludge through my nose while my body trembled. My father had me against his chest while he rocked me from side to side.  
  
<Aldrea don’t go… Please... > He babbled for a few moments more then pressed his forehead against mine, eyes closing. I suddenly released a wave of reassurance towards him just as I turned my head towards the water.  
  
All of my limbs go slack as blood dribbled from my ear. A heavy thing pushed it’s way out of my ear before dropping into the water with a wet ‘plop’.  
  
It was a yeerk.  
  
There is a moment of silence before Father says,  
  
<She had a… yeerk inside of her?>  
  
He pauses in silence as warriors gathered around, silently regarding me in shock. I was dizzy from both nearly dying and the revelation that a yeerk had connected with me to save my life.

A yeerk… for some reason I did not feel revulsion… but gratitude. I was saved!

<A yeerk entered my daughter to save her life? A yeerk… saved her life?>  
My father was checking me over, rubbing my body with his tail to warm me and fluff me while he searched for wounds. He pressed his fingers against the ear where the yeerk had exited then pulled them away just in time to see them covered in blood. Worry wrinkled his face while he gaze down at me.  
  
Soothing waves escaped him as he connected with me emotionally just as my mother would have if she had been here. I found myself closing my eyes slightly as I rested my cheek on his chest. Vaguely I could make out someone walking to us with a lazy stalk eye.  
  
<Prince Seerow?> Alloran stands over Father as he assesses me with a stalk. His gaze was dark and his voice grave as he spoke. I couldn’t help but shiver more, pressing myself against my father’s chest. I couldn’t tell if I was shaking more from the cold or from fear.  
  
<Yes Warrior Alloran?> Father brushes his fingers over my ear, trying to sooth me. Though I could tell he was looking at Alloran with suspicion.  
  
<You know what this means right? What this means for all of us. They can do cross-species infestation. Do you understand what that changes?> Alloran’s voice was low, almost angry.  
  
Why was this warrior so outspoken against my father? What does he have against him?  
  
<They saved her life.> All four of Father’s eyes turned on him, his body stiffening visibly. I could feel his annoyance rolling off of him in waves. That in turned made me feel annoyed _and_ scared. He must’ve forgotten he was still emotionally connecting with me.  
  
<If they can infest her, what’s stopping them from trying to infest the rest of us?> Alloran stands tall as Father releases me, standing up to meet his challenge. I could feel his anger now, not strongly but just enough to tell he was about ready to fight.  
  
<Don’t call it infesting.> Father warns Alloran, tail lifting slightly. He holds up his chin as he gazes at him directly in the eyes. It was a clear challenge to Alloran to either be silent or feel his blade.  
  
Alloran was not a smart warrior.

<That’s exactly what it is my _Prince._ > The way he said ‘prince’ was almost like he was mocking him. My father’s surprise was felt throughout my body.

My father’s tail twitched and Alloran reacted by lifting his own tail. I begin to slowly back away as I realized that they were going to fight. I coward at the edge of the pool, tucking my tail around my legs nervously. My own large eyes widened as I watched muscles ripple across their tails as they stood there, frozen. Waiting.

<Stop right now!> They both snap out of it when my mother snaps at them while coming at us at a full gallop. Beside her was Alloran’s mate who was looking equally as annoyed.  
  
<Alloran have you no sense? There’s a child right there!> Jahar comes to a steady stop, stepping in between her mate and Father. She turns a stalk at my father, glaring at him as well. <And you! Shouldn’t you be tending to your daughter instead of fighting?>  
  
The two males exchange glances before realizing that everyone else around them looked either shocked or uncomfortable.  
  
Mother takes the chance to pass the two of them and carefully gathers me under her with her tail. Relieved I press against one of her legs as she begins to soothe me with her own emotions. I close my eyes tightly, taking them all in.  
  
<Prince Seerow,> Mother’s voice was low as she spoke. It was obvious she was angry. <do not come back to the scoop until you learn to keep yourself under control.>  
  
Before my father could answer, Mother began pushing me forward. I kept close to her, pressing my body against her belly as we walked. I turn a stalk behind myself to see Father looking at us with astonishment.  
  
<It’s okay Aldrea. It’s going to be okay.> Mother soothed as she leads me away. <I promise that will never happen again.>  
  
<Wait a moment.> Father trotted up beside us, looking between Mother and I. <We need to take her to the medical tent. She had a yeerk inside of her head. Who knows what that did.>  
  
My mother stopped dead before slowly turning a stalk on my father. The look on her face and the emotions coming from her made me tremble. I press against my mother’s leg as she leans in towards her mate. <She had a yeerk inside of her?>  
  
Father flinches away, looking down at the ground. <Yes she did, that yeerk is the reason why she’s alive.>  
  
Mother pulls away, surprise emitting from her now. <Oh… t-they did?>  
  
Mother carefully brushes her tail along my side before breathing in deep. I could feel her unease along with her relief. <Very well, make sure to thank who ever saved her.>  
  
With that, she carefully leads me off to the medical tent, soothing me as she did.  
  
The check up came back normal though they did say that my eardrum was only slightly damaged. Later on in the day, my father returned with some news. It turns out the yeerk that had saved my life was the very one that had taken a liking to me in class. It was a sheer stroke of luck that I fell into their pool.  
  
A few days after the incident everyone but military personnel were sent away back to the home world. I nor my mother heard much from my father during those long months. But when we did he had news that they have decided to continue to forge a friendship with the yeerks. Though he did seem to hint at something more.  
  
Mother was mostly uneasy at the news but she did show him support. Father returned home a year later though he seemed different from before. He seemed more rigid than before and even a bit quieter. But he was still my father it would seem.  
  
It turns out that they had been testing to see what use they could get out of voluntarily allowing the yeerks to infest them. It turns out that having someone else being able to take control during crucial times when a warrior is unable to perform saved more lives in battle. Though, as he told us, they were still testing the limits of the yeerk abilities.  
  
But in the end of all of this, something new was started.  
  
A new combat style involving becoming a symbiote with a yeerk was developed within years of the discovery. It mostly involved working together with your yeerk in order to maximize combat abilities. Both yeerk and andalite were paired up based on the skill sets they learned on their own.  
  
Pilots were paired up with weapon experts. Tactical officers were paired with those who have had on field battle experience. On ground troops were paired with survival experts and technicians.  
  
The yeerk’s astounding ability for learning was used to it’s fullest. Of course the training program for both yeerk and andalite were in it’s infancy. It still showed a lot of promise. Those first few who entered the military as full warriors were quickly promoted to Princes due to their abilities on the battlefield. The military applications of yeerks couldn’t be better.  
  
Relations with yeerks and andalites were rocky but improving with each year. Even a few andalites are considering to use yeerks for andalites with severe mental trauma or those who simply could not do things on their own. But this was still being tested.  
  
This all started because I had made a foolish mistake. One slip had opened a new world of possibilities.  
  



End file.
